Category: Uncategorized

It appears that the state of Tennessee has officially decided that I’m a responsible enough person to carry a firearm.

Or, at least, that’s what this little card I got in the mail says.

I was reading a news item about a website. The name was hyperlinked. What happens when you click on it?

It displays all stories on the news site that mention the website in question, instead of going to website.

Got off the phone with Dana at Bersa.  She’s going to send me a new extractor under warranty.  I also went ahead and ordered a new slide stop for my Thunder 380.  Both should be here some time this week.

I managed to slip away to the range Saturday morning to try my new purchase.  It was a beautiful sunny day, but, oddly enough, the range wasn’t packed by the time I showed up.

The first thing I noticed was that the magazines were actually easy to load, at least until you got past the 10 round mark.  This is in stark contrast to my Springfield XDm, and, to a lesser extent, my Beretta Px4.  Both of those pistols make you thankful that you brought a speed loader with you after round 5 or 6.  Maybe there’s a reason the Bersa didn’t come with one while both Springfield and Beretta supply one with purchase of those two guns.

I ran 100 rounds through it at 5 yards, and 100 at 10 yards.  As should be expected, the pistol seemed to be more accurate than I am.  I was able to create decent ragged holes at 5 yards, and things got scattered at 10 yards.  Being completely subjective about it, I’d say it’s about as accurate as my Px4, which is pretty close to the same dimensions.  As expected, the single action was pretty accurate, while the double action, while smooth, is heavy enough that it can be difficult to keep things lined up while pulling the trigger.  The extra weight of it being all metal meant that the recoil is very manageable,  and I was able to re-acquire target quickly and easily.  The grip design that I noted in my previous post did feel better on the range than that of my Px4.

I do have to admit that I did have 2 failures.  I’m not sure, but I think both were due to the extractor not grabbing the case properly.  I failed to inspect the case of the first failure (somewhere around the 40 round count), but I did look at the second (rough at 160 round).  It looked like the case’s rim was a little thicker than other rounds.  I was shooting UMC bulk 9mm, which I’ve never shot before.  I don’t know at this point if I should blame the gun or the ammo, but I have read that Bersa had a bad batch of extractors in 2010, and I wonder if I got one that’s been sitting around.

Assuming I can get the extractor issue ironed out, I might just run it when I try my hand at IDPA instead of my Px4.

I am going to give up all my guns and get one of these for self defense instead: Technomancer Digital Wizard Hoodie.

I mean, who needs bullets when you can chuck fireballs?

a bacon casket?  Complete with bacon air freshener?

Saturday afternoon, Casey and I were out running errands. I got on to the main road–a four lane divided by a wide grass median–and saw something odd at the next light. I was about 200 yards away, but it looked like some teenagers were playing Chinese Fire Drill.

When I got within about 50 yards, I discovered it was two guys wailing on each other. In the middle of the road, in broad daylight. Both had abandoned their vehicles, though one had three freinds with him.

I got on the shoulder and pulled up within about 20 feet of them. There were probably 10-12 cars stopped behind these guys. I unbuckeled my seatbelt, but then observed behavior from both participants that suggested mutual combat rather than a beatdown.

At that point I made the decision to not intervene. My inner libertarian told me, “not your fight, no victims here, let em settle it. ”

I did stick around to the end to make sure nobody was going to get killed, ie no one grabbed a weapon, the freinds didn’t get involved, and no one wound up on the pavement getting his skull bashed in. The whole thing lasted less than a minute, and at the end both guys took off in separate directions. No one was bloody or visibly injured.

I think I did the right thing, setting up the intervention but not going through with it. What do you think? What would you have done differently?

Note: I didn’t call the police because I could see other people already on the phone.

Tennessee Attorney General says that the parking lot bill is unconstitutional. Happened in a committee meeting a little bit ago. More later.

ETA: I misheard

Tactical pants. Who doesn’t love them?

True story: When I was checking in to the hotel at the LuckyGunner Blogger Shoot last year, I picked out Fill Yer Hands within about three seconds as being “one of us.” Sean walked in a couple minutes later, and he got pegged, too. It was easy: Both were wearing 5.11 tactical pants of one flavor or another.

Now, I love me some 5.11 Tactical. I have two pair of their Covert Khakis and two of their Casual Belts. I think, though, that “tactical pants” that look like something operators who operate in operations would wear are becoming the new “Shoot Me First Vests.” Bob Owens had some really good thoughts on this last year, and I suggest you go read that post.

Anyway, my point is I really like pants with lots of pockets that look more like traditional pants than military gear. Pockets-in-pockets, hidden pockets, waterprrof, oil resistant….stuff like that is really cool. I’d like to be able to wear them at the office, which is why most gunnie pants won’t work for me but the Covert Khakis did.

Back in January I was out at Bass Pro Shops looking for some cold weather clothing to make my walks with Casey a little more comfortable and I came across some Columbia Men’s ROC Pants. I love these pants. Very durable, but nice looking. The right side has a front zippered pocket a la the Covert Khakis and my PF9 fits right in there. Good for deep concealment.

Two weeks later, I went back and bought three more pair. This from a guy who usually buys clothes every other year.

I will tell you that from a dress code standpoint, these are probably more suited to the khakis-and-a-polo setting than khakis-and-a-button-up setting. In January, I was working in the former. Three weeks later, I got a job that is the latter. 🙁

I only wear them on the weekends now, but they are pretty much the only pants I wear when not at work. They’re awesome.

I think even the pantsless one might like these.

Naienko (the g/f): I was having issues typing today.  The “t” key was acting up.

me: I would say it’s shifty, but that’s a different key entirely.

Nai: It’s a good thing you’re driving right now.

me: Of course, you have to be careful with the capitol T, it’s shift+t.

Nai: I’m going to stab you in your sleep…